


Like We Didn't Know the Ending

by Chash



Category: Code Name Verity - Elizabeth Wein
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-16
Updated: 2013-11-16
Packaged: 2018-01-01 17:08:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1046367
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chash/pseuds/Chash
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tortall AU! Snapshots of Julie and Maddie, Lady Knight and Queen's Rider.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like We Didn't Know the Ending

**Author's Note:**

  * For [goshemily](https://archiveofourown.org/users/goshemily/gifts).



> Birthday fic for goshemily! I wanted to write you THE BEST TORTALL AU, but then I had some beer and kind of lost the (already minimal) plot. IT IS JUST FRIENDSHIP AND IOU MORE STUFF probably with kissing and stuff but I wanted to finish today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ENJOY.

Maddie knew, as soon as she did it, that it was a mistake. If she's honest, she knew as she was doing it that it was a mistake. But the reality of it doesn't hit her until Lady Julia is in her grandfather's shop with her new sword, and Maddie is the only one there.

It's not the first time Julia has come in--it can't be, obviously. Her Lady Mother told Grandfather that Julia had spoken highly of them when she commissioned the new sword. Maddie hadn't spoken to her, but she'd glimpsed her from the back, this tiny wisp of a girl, her plaited blonde hair and perfect features. She didn't look like a page, but Maddie had kept up with her ever since she started knight training. She keeps up with all the girls who go for their shields; it isn't hard, there aren't many. But Julia is her favorite.

So that's why she did it. Stupid as it was.

"You're Margaret, aren't you?" asks Julia, which is a total shock to Maddie.

"M-Maddie," she stammers. "I'm called Maddie."

"I asked your grandfather about you," says Julia. The sword is at her side. "You don't see many girls working at a blacksmith's."

"You don't see many girls getting their shields."

Julia's grin is quick and mischievous, impossible not to return. "I hope I will soon." She leans against the counter. "Your grandfather said you don't just take orders. He said you do some of the smithing yourself."

Maddie looks down, flushing. Grandfather doesn't tell everyone that, but Julia doesn't seem like someone who would disapprove of a woman doing smith work. "Sometimes," she says.

"Did you make my sword?"

"I helped."

"Did you put the rose on the hilt? Mother said she didn't ask for that. She was surprised. Impressed, but surprised."

"Yes," says Maddie. There's no point trying to hide it. "The damask rose is your family symbol, isn't it? I saw it on your brother's shield." She doesn't say she wanted to make it special. It's already too embarrassing.

"It is," says Julia. "It's lovely. I wanted to thank you."

"Oh," says Maddie. "You're welcome. Congratulations," she adds, impetuously. "I heard Sir Myles has chosen you as his squire."

"You're the first to congratulate me and mean it." The surprise must register on Maddie's face, because Julia laughs. "There is an assumption that I will have a most unexciting time as his squire. Relegated to desk work."

"You don't seem concerned."

" I think I'll do all right with it."

"So you won't be leaving Corus," says Maddie, without meaning to. It's nothing she has any reason to be excited over.

"No. I'll be seeing more of you."

It should surprise her, but it doesn't. "I'd be very much obliged, Lady Julia."

She laughs again. "Call me Julie."

*

Julie comes around a few times a week. Sometimes she's every inch the lady, not a hair out of place, in a dress that would make even the Queen green with envy. Sometimes she's a squire, rough and tumble with her golden hair plaited up, sensibly out of the way. Neither of those are a surprise to Maddie, but she's other things as well, which Maddie never expected. Some days, Maddie doesn't even recognize her.

"What are you _doing_?" she finally has to ask, when Julie comes in dressed like a common beggar. "You scared me near to death! I thought you wanted to rob me."

Julie grins. "That was the idea. Not that I wanted _you_ to think that. I wanted everyone else to. I'm in disguise."

"Quite a disguise! Why are you in disguise?"

"It's part of my training," says Julie, loftily. "A knight doesn't always want to be recognized, you know."

"Does Sir Myles know you're doing this, or does he think you're at your desk?"

Julie just smiles. "Come on, I need your help with the horse."

It took a few months before Maddie got up the courage to ask to meet Julie's horse. But she loves horses and never gets to see them, and she couldn't pass up the chance. Once Julie saw how much she liked it, she started bringing Maddie over specially to help with feeding and grooming.

"Like that?" Maddie asks. "They'll think we're trying to steal her!"

"I'll change, I'm done with this. You can start brushing her while I get cleaned up."

"They'll think I'm trying to steal her, then."

"You'll be all right. Come on, stop worrying!"

When they arrive, there's a woman there already, tending to some of the other horses. She doesn't look at all surprised by Julie's outfit.

"Getting into trouble again, Julie?"

"You're here!" says Julie, as if she hadn't said anything. "Maddie, this is Onua. Onua, this is the blacksmith I was telling you about."

"You were telling her about me?" asks Maddie, surprised.

Onua is sizing her up. "You're good with horses?"

"I'm all right, I suppose."

"She's just being modest. She's a blacksmith and a horse mage."

"A what?" asks Maddie.

"You have horse magic, I'm sure of it. The Riders could use you!"

"The _Riders_?" asks Maddie, incredulous. "Is this why you wanted me to come? So you could try to get me in the Queen's Riders?"

"You don't have to join," says Julie. "Although I think you'd be brilliant. But even if you don't join, you could help them. You're so talented, Maddie! You could do so much. If you want to, of course."

"Go put some sensible clothes on!" says Maddie. She smiles. "I'll help Onua with the horses."

*

They see each other less, once Maddie joins the Riders. It's not just because of Maddie, though; Julie starts being around less too, going all over on secret missions for Sir Myles. After two years, Julie finally admits what she's training for, and by that point Maddie's already guessed a lot of it.

"Everyone knows he's the king's spymaster," says Julie. "You didn't know?"

"I don't keep up with palace gossip, I have my hands full! But you were in disguise all the time. It wasn't hard to guess _something_ was going on."

"Oh, that was for fun. I just wanted to try. I don't have to do that very often. I thought there would be more intrigue! Disguises, daring missions," she laughs. "But being a spy and a knight is very different from being a spy in the stories." She puts one arm around Maddie, squeezes her and smiles. "I have to go. I'm not even supposed to be here. But next time we're in the same place, I owe you a drink."

And that's how it goes. Maddie sees Julie once or twice a year, and even after she gets her shield, she almost never looks like a knight. She has a kind word and a wink for everyone, and it fascinates Maddie, how she can be like that. How easy she is, how clever.

"I can't flirt to save my life!" Maddie says, laughing, when Julie brings them two free drinks from the barkeep. They're on the Scanran border, sitting with the horses to keep them calm. Everyone's antsy, and the horses can feel it. "How do you do it?"

"Oh, it's easy if you don't mean it," says Julie. "That's what no one ever understands. I could never be like that if you meant it."

"I wouldn't know how not to mean it."

"You'd never make a good spy," says Julie, laughing. "You're much too honest."

"I don't know about that. I keep your secrets. She pulls her legs up to her chest, hugging her knees. "But--I don't want to go into Scanra. I'm afraid."

"But you've been in combat before."

"I've never had to go this far from home. I'm excited, but--I'm afraid too. But you can't tell anyone that. Not any of the other Riders. Especially the boys. They think you're soft."

"You're not soft," Julie says. "It's not brave to do something you're not afraid of. It's only brave if you're afraid and do it anyway."

"I'm glad you're here for this," says Maddie, leaning against Julie's side. "I couldn't bear to go alone."

Julie presses a kiss to her hair. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

And Maddie wouldn't either, not really. She can't imagine doing anything else.


End file.
